Letters: VA marijuana policy outllined

As a clarification to the article on medical marijuana in the VA, it is important for veteran patients and visitors of the VA medical center in Saginaw and community based outpatient clinics in Alpena, Clare, Gaylord, Oscoda and Traverse City to understand how the new law regarding the use of medical marijuana will be handled by VA medical center police and practitioners.

The legalization of medical marijuana in Michigan is acknowledged. However, pursuant to federal law, VA physicians, nurse practitioners and other licensed clinicians are not authorized or permitted to participate in the recommendation for treatment of or prescribing medical marijuana to a VA patient that would otherwise be legal in Michigan. Furthermore, the VA will not dispense, prescribe or store medical marijuana, and its possession on VA property remains illegal and a criminal offense.

However, it is acknowledged that testing positive for marijuana in a patient, based upon a random drug screening, will not serve as a breach of the current pain management agreement if the patient submits documentation in support of the marijuana being prescribed and dispensed in conformity with Michigan law.

The above withstanding, veteran patients and visitors who are registered users of medical marijuana must follow all laws and regulations for the possession and use of the medical marijuana and shall not bring medical marijuana on the grounds of the VA medical center. Possession on federal grounds remains illegal and may subject the possessor to appropriate criminal charges.

Our priority to provide quality health care to veterans remains steadfast. A veteran's care and the right to pain management continue to be very important in enhancing the veteran's health care outcomes.

Veterans with questions or concerns regarding their participation with medical marijuana may be directed to their primary care provider.

Gabriel Perez
director
Lutz Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Saginaw

Trust the CIA

Editor, The News:

Sitting in a cave in the middle of the Arabian Desert, surrounded by members of al-Qaida, what do you think your captors are doing?

Offering you tea? Asking you politely about the deepest secrets of the U.S. military?
No, they would not be offering you tea. They would not be having a polite conversation. That is why criticism of so-called "torture tactics" is too harsh.

The CIA is one of the world's most powerful spy agencies. It did not get this way by playing nice with the world's most lethal terrorist organizations. To protect the homeland from foreign enemies, it has had to rely on harsh techniques to get critical information from its captives. This critical information has helped to intercept and prevent innumerable terrorist attacks since the CIA's inception in 1947. Upholding our core democratic values, truth was strictly followed when the questioning tactics were released to the public.

The CIA is a vital part in fighting the war on terrorism, countering narcotics trafficking and analyzing "topics of concern." It needs to be able to operate as it has been in order to keep the U.S. from moving into high or severe levels of national threat.

The director of Central Intelligence and the director of National Intelligence act as they see fit in high-pressure situations, and we should invest our trust in them to keep our country safe.

Natalie Ziel
Thomas Township

The common good

Editor, The News:

Are you the one out of five citizens who smoke? If you are, do you realize the consequences you could be facing?

With smoking comes addiction, the chance of illnesses and even death. You are putting your life on the line because you think that smoking is a good decision.

When you smoke you take in more than 4,000 chemicals, and 51 of them are known to be carcinogenic, which causes cancer. It also causes shortness of breath, decreased energy, bone loss, damage to blood vessels, heart disease and poor circulation.

Smoking affects everyone around you. Those chemicals can endanger them too. This especially affects children and babies. Second-hand smoke among children causes as many as 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia each year. How would you like your parents to put your life on the line just because something made them feel better?

Do the common good for everyone and stop smoking.

Kayla Flores-Honeman
Bay City

Keep rapist in prison

Editor, The News:

I have to agree with the letter writer when he stated the article about convicted rapist Edwardo Guerrero was superficial.

The article told only how Guerrero raped one young girl in an alley. The next day Guerrero and two other men repeatedly raped another young girl. Then 10 days later Guerrero raped another young girl.

Guerrero not only repeatedly assaulted these young girls, he kidnapped and robbed them while armed. The article did leave out the physical trauma Guerrero inflicted on the bodies of his victims.

The writer uses the word "us" a number of times. Well I for one would not be proud to have this person as a friend nor even consider it. As a taxpayer I have no problem paying taxes to keep this animal behind bars. Why don't you ask the women he destroyed if they feel as you do?

I also would have you ask them if they feel as you do that Guerrero has been rehabilitated and are they willing to take the chance of him destroying three more lives?

Jim Osterman
Freeland

Cyber bully warning

Editor, The News:

With the new technology of today, everyone gets a kick out of using it. But there's one problem that isn't talked about much: cyber bullying.

Cyber bullying is using technology to threaten, insult or harass. Cell phones and the Internet are a main target. A cyber bully can quickly spread rumors, threats, hate mail and embarrassing photos through text messages. Usually they will use false screen names and false identities to mess up someone's life. So caution for those out there, even if you think you trust someone or just met them online, do not expose anything that you will eventually regret.

Schools should talk about this. It's an important subject, and half of these kids don't realize the Internet actually could be dangerous.

If parents/teachers took an hour out of one day just to talk about it then maybe the percentage would decrease and you would live happily knowing your kid is being safe and not putting his/her life in danger.